The book review should be between 700 and 800 words and should focus on the author’s argument in support of his or her thesis. Use parenthetical citations when citing material from the book. Here are some additional tips and suggestions. 1. Above all, what is the author’s thesis? What is he or she trying to prove? In other words, what is holding the book together? 2. Identify the key arguments used to support the thesis. You cannot describe all of them in minute detail, but you should provide an overview of all of them. 3. Always thoroughly read the introduction and conclusion. Often, the author will describe the thesis in the introduction and emphasize how it was proven in the conclusion. Determine what the author considers to be the key chapters offering support for the thesis. Thoroughly read those as well if time allows. There is an “art” to skimming chapters that you should develop. 4. Do not get bogged down in the minutia of details. Facts matter, especially when you rely upon evidence from books and articles to support your own research agenda. In other words, you will use historians’ arguments and the distinct facts and evidence to support the thesis statements of your own research papers in future classes. But, those facts and minor details are not part of a book review. Focus on the larger themes. 5. Be sure to tell the story or stories that make the book a work of history. Retelling good stories we learn from other historians is an important part of what we do.
Sample Solution
